Major League Baseball and its players union have agreed to ban smokeless tobacco for all new big leaguers, a person familiar with the negotiations says.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity on Wednesday night because the ban is among the details of the sport's new collective bargaining agreement that have not been announced.
The ban - in particular for chewing tobacco - does not apply to any player who already has at least one day of major league service.
Several cities have also banned the use of smokeless tobacco in ball parks, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.
The Milwaukee City Council approved a ban last week.
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In the minor leagues, where players are not unionised, smokeless tobacco has been banned since 1993.
As part of the 2012-16 agreement, the union agreed players may not carry tobacco packages and tins in their back pockets when fans are permitted in the ball park, and players may not use tobacco during interviews before or after games, and at team functions.
